Save on life insurance with a smartphone fitness test

Let’s be honest — life insurance can sometimes feel a little daunting, with forms, medical exams and the wait to hear what your final premium will be.

Still, it’s a valuable step that gives you peace of mind knowing you and your loved ones are protected.

But what if life insurance could fit seamlessly into your lifestyle — even rewarding you with discounts when you take simple steps to look after your health and fitness?

‘That’s exactly what we’re doing at Momentum Life Insurance,’ says Stephen van Niekerkopen_in_new, Executive Head of Momentum Life Insurance. ‘And we’re proud to say we’re leading the way globally with a world-first innovation.’

Momentum has created a digital health and fitness assessment that’s integrated into their LifeReturns® screening. The idea is simple but powerful. Instead of relying only on traditional health questions — like weight, age, or smoking habits — the assessment evaluates something far more dynamic: your fitness.

And here’s the best part: you can complete the assessment right on your smartphone. No gym. No smartwatch. No expensive equipment. Just you, your smartphone, and a few minutes of movement.

Here’s what that means for you

Momentum Life Insurance’s innovative digital health and fitness assessment helps paint a clearer, fairer picture of your health. That means they can offer you:

• More accurate premiums, so you’re not paying the same as someone with a different health profile.
• Personal discounts based on your real fitness levels, not just a generic checklist.
• A chance to take control. If you improve your health, you may improve your premium.

Real results, real people

Stephen says that, in their most recent round of digital health and fitness screenings, over 85% of participants showed average or above-average fitness levels — with a VO₂ max score well above the population average. ‘That’s really encouraging! And it shows that many people are already on the right track without even knowing it.’

We’ve been working with fitness data for over 20 years through our wellness and rewards programmes—initially tracking steps, participation in events, and later VO₂ max,’ says van Niekerk. But this new digital step is a game-changer. It makes the assessment process easier, more accessible, and more empowering for everyone — allowing them to engage directly from their smartphones, without the need for wearables or gym visits.

Stephen graduated from the University of Stellenbosch in 1998 and qualified as an actuary in 2002. He joined the Momentum Myriad product development team in 2003 and currently heads up Momentum Life Insurance within Momentum.

Over the past 21 years he has played an instrumental role in the innovative evolution of the Myriad benefit range. He and his team introduced many ‘firsts’ to the risk protection market such as Longevity Protection, Momentum’s Breadth of Cover Guarantee® which provides clients with the most comprehensive critical illness cover available in the market, and the Permanent Disability Enhancer that gives clients the opportunity to enjoy the ‘best of both’ lump sum- and income disability benefits. Stephen is also the brains behind LifeReturns®, Momentum Life Insurance’s revolutionary digital screening innovation which also integrates a digitally enabled discount mechanism and underwriting process.

On a personal note, Stephen is passionate about the South African long-term insurance industry and the role which financial advisers play in ensuring that the industry consistently meets consumer needs.